Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1887-02-12

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WASHINGTON, February 1O.-Jones, o
Nevada, presented petition from Horac,
F. Cutter, Of San Francisco, praying Con
gress to make suitable Acknowledgement
to the Japanese fishermen who saved the
I crew OF the American vessel wrecked by 9
typhoon on the Japanese coast. Referred
to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
REPEAL OF THE LAND LAWS.
Dolph, from the Conference Committee on
the Senate amendments to the House bill
to repeal all pre-emption, timber culture
and desert claim laws, reported q disagree
ment and asked for q new conference. He
said, in answer to q question by Ingalls,,
that the differences in the Conference Com.
mittee were quite radical but that they
might be overcome. Tne most important
point was a. to whether, when there waa q
suspicion Of fraud in q case, it should be
finally decided by the Interior Department
or by tho courts. The House confrsers
took the ground that the Interior Depart
mont should be the sole and final judge in
insisted that the man whose title was at
tackled in the Land Office should have the
right of appeal to the courts.
Plumb said hehad been for many years
in favor Of the repeal Of the pre-emption
laws. but since the subject had been in
discussion, practice had come into vogue,
the character, of which was not only threat
ening to individual rights, but was sub.
versive OF all proper rules of procedure;
and he thought that the notification Of
this practice was OF much more import
ance than the repeal OF the pre-emption
laws, or Of the timber culture laws, or
hot Yo - L. L.
special agents, by detectives, by private
inquiries, under which titles are assumed
to be set aside on exporte hearings. This
was going on to an extent that was par
alizing business in certain sections OF the
west. He regarded longer continuance of
this system as q shame and q disgrace.
Titles to land, under these preemption
laws, should be settled in the courts, wheth-
or they were the titles of the poor and
hupble on the frontier, or of the Ech any
where else.
Call defended the administration of the
land Office, and said if it was such as was
by the Senator from Kansas,
the proper remedy was to have an inquiry
instituted and impeachment proceedings
After further discussion another confer
ence was ordered.
FUhCHASE OF AN IK0N.CLAO,
Hale, from the Committee on Naval
Affairs, reported back the bill for the pur-
chase OF John Erricson's Destroyer" and
It was referred to the Comnittee on Appro.
priations.
BRANCH SOLDIERS HOME.
On motion of Sewell, the House bill to
provide for the location and erection of q
braLch home for disabled volunteer SOL
liers west of the Rocky mountains, appro-
amended by appropriating $3.50, 900; pro-
viding for ten instead of nine managers,
zach one of them to be residents OF states
Dr. territories west OF the Rocky mountains,
Ind appointing James A. Wagmire, of San
Francisco, to serve as manager up to
April, 1892. The bill as amended was
passed and q conference asked.
RESOLUTIONS AND BILLS.
The presiding officer presented the resolu-
ion OF the joint convention of tho general
OF Indiana (Republicans) protest
ng against the validity of the election of
David Turpie as United States Senator.
Referred to ,he Committee on Privileges
md Elections; also message from the House
u Representatives with q substitute for the
senate Chinese Indemnity bill.
Edmunds said that the two bills appear
d to amount to the same purpose, except
hat, perhaps, the House substitute did it
a a more simple way. He moved that sub |
titute he concurred in. Agreed to.
The bill prohibiting off-shore mackerel
shing during the spawning season was
AIKEN up and passed. Vote, "a to IL.
The bills granting the Spokane & Pa
ouse Railway Company and the Washoe &
daho Railway Company the right OF way
through the Ceur d'Alene Indian reserva-